Background:The knowledge and skills about the basic life support (BLS) and the advanced life support are the most important determining factors of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) success rates. Objectives: To determine the level of awareness on BLS and skills among undergraduate and postgraduate students of medical and dental profession, as well as nursing students and interns in a tertiary care hospital.Materials and Methods:This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India. The awareness level on BLS and factors associated which include age, sex, level of training (undergraduate, internship, and postgraduate groups), course of study (nursing, dental, and medical groups), and previous exposure to BLS were assessed by using a structured questionnaire. The association of these variables with awareness level was assessed by independent t test, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis.Results:Among 520 study subjects, 229 were students, 171 were interns, and 120 were postgraduate students. The overall mean score of awareness was 4.16 ± 1.40 (score range: 0-10). Age, sex, level of training, course of study, and previous exposure to BLS were significantly associated with awareness level in univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Linear regression model also showed that all the above variables were significantly associated with awareness level (P < 0.05). About 322 (61.9%) subjects attributed lack of awareness about BLS to lack of available professional training. About 479 (92.1%) responded that BLS training should be a part of medical curriculum.Conclusion:Awareness level on BLS is below average indicating the importance of professional training at all levels in a tertiary care health institution.

The present study was aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, and attitude towards basic life support (BLS) among the interns completing their internship from both medical and dental streams of the Nitte university (a deemed university at Mangalore, Karnataka) and also to identify the areas to be addressed for improving the standards of BLS among the interns at their crucial juncture of moving out to the community, society as health care providers.A descriptive study was conducted by using a Questionnaire comprising of 19 questions to collect the data pertaining to demographic details, awareness and knowledge of BLS, attitude towards BLS among all the medical and dental interns completing their internship during March 2012. The study was conducted in the last week of their one year internship programme.After excluding the incomplete response sheets which were none in the present study, the data from 162 interns were subjected to the analysis. The Main outcome measure was the over all score in the BLS knowledge. Knowledge of BLS was assessed as per the data contained in the Basic life support manual from American Heart Association.The results were drawn based on the comparisons between Medical and Dental streams and also with in each stream. Out of 162 interns, 84 were medical interns and 78 were dental interns. All of them (100%) were aware of the BLS and its usefulness. 16 (19%) medical interns had complete knowledge of BLS while none (0%) among dental interns had complete knowledge of BLS. A score of less than 50% was evident in 37(44%) of medical interns and 69(88%) of dental interns thus indicating a poor knowledge of BLS among both medical and dental interns who were completing their internship. However medical interns scored better in comparison to dental interns. Resuscitation experience (performing BLS) and Training (attending BLS work shop) resulted in better BLS knowledge and better scoring pattern among the medical interns thus boosting the confidence among interns. (Statistically significant with P < 0.05).Present study highlights the need for a structured training of BLS and inclusion of BLS in the Medical and Dental academic curriculum.

A 39-year-old female presented with one year history of dragging abdominal discomfort and fatigability of six months duration. She was non-alcoholic and had no other medical illness. General physical examination was unremarkable and abdominal palpation suggested splenomegaly of 10 cms below left coastal margin, which was firm and nontender. There was no ascites or hepatomegaly. Examination of other systems was unremarkable.Investigations revealed normal complete blood counts, urine analysis, liver and renal function tests and peripheral smear study. Investigation reports are shown in [Table/ Fig-1]. Ultrasonography (US) with color doppler of abdomen revealed splenomegaly, normal liver echotexture and cavernous transformation of portal vein with multiple spleno-renal collaterals. ECG and echocardiography was normal. Upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy showed grade 1-2 esophageal varices with portal hypertensive gastropathy. Multidetector Computed tomography (MDCT) abdomen revealed multiple aneurysms in the distal half of splenic artery, the largest one measuring (5.1cmx5.8cmx4.4cms) with dilated and tortuous course of the proximal splenic artery with multiple collaterals along the course of splenic and portal vein b,. Wall calcification and organized thrombus was seen in few of the aneurysms at the splenic hilum. DisCussionSplenic artery aneurysms (SAA) are the most common visceral aneurysms, accounting for up-to 60% of cases [1,2]. Splenic artery is the third most common site for intra-abdominal aneurysm after aorta and iliac artery [2]. It has an incidence of 0.01-0.2%, females being more commonly affected (4:1). SAA presenting as extrahepatic portal hypertension is rare [1,3]. Here we report a patient with multiple splenic artery aneurysms presenting as extrahepatic portal hypertension and massive splenomegaly. SAA are very rare with a varied prevalence of 0.01%-10.4% [4]. SAAs are associated with several conditions, including pregnancy, degenerative atherosclerosis, portal hypertension, medial fibrodysplasia, arteritis, collagen vascular disease, α 1-antitrypsin deficiency, and pancreatitis [2]. Hormonal changes during pregnancy, increased blood volume and cardiac output causing portal congestion are the proposed mechanisms of SAA in pregnancy internal medicine section [5]. SAA are usually single, isolated and <3cms in size. It is usually located in the distal part of splenic artery. Larger aneurysms like in our patient are seldom reported [1,3,6]. The aneurysm generally develops on the main splenic artery commonly on its distal third or on intrasplenic branches. Multiple Splenic Artery Aneurysms: A Rare Cause of Extrahepatic Portal Hypertension and Massive Splenomegaly aBstRaCtA 39-year-old nulliparous female was admitted with massive splenomegaly. Computed tomography of abdomen revealed multiple aneurysms in the distal half of the splenic artery. Splenic artery aneurysms are rare in nulliparous women and most cases are reported in females with a past history of pregnancy. Splenic artery aneurysms, though very...

Twenty-four hour urinary albumin excretion (UAE) is considered as gold standard method for albuminuria measurement, but collection of 24-h urine is inconvenient. The aim of present study was to evaluate whether albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) and urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in different spot urine samples correlate or not with 24-h UAE for screening of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients. We collected first morning void (FMV), random urine sample (RUS) and 24-h urine, separately on consecutive days from 104 type 2 diabetic patients. ACR and UAC in each spot urine sample compared with 24-h UAE with regard to Pearson correlation coefficient. Pearson's correlation of albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) with 24-h UAE was (r = 0.802 and 0.623) in first morning void (FMV) and random urine sample (RUS), respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient of urinary albumin concentration (UAC) compared with 24-h UAE was (r = 0.943 and 0.920), in FMV and RUS, respectively, P \ 0.01. Results revealed that values in first morning void (FMV) were better correlated with 24-h urinary albumin excretion (UAE), than the values in random urine sample (RUS). We conclude that the first morning void (FMV) may be able to replace 24-h urine collection, preferably urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in the initial screening of microalbuminuria in diabetic patients.